About this story
Daisy is making bread with Grandma, and there’s flour everywhere. The dough is so sticky it turns her hands into “bubblegum monsters,” until Grandma adds more flour and the dough turns smooth. Then they have to wait for the oven.
Ages: 3–7 · Reading time: about 2 minutes
Moral: The best things take a while, and a bit of mess, to get ready.
Flour flew across the kitchen like a summer snowstorm. Poof!
Daisy pressed her hands deep into the soft, sticky dough. It was cool and squishy, and oh-so-fun to squeeze. “You have to knead it with all your might, Daisy!” Grandma said, laughing with a white smudge of flour right on her nose.
Daisy pushed the dough. The dough pushed back and stuck to her fingers. She tried to pull it off with her other hand, but then that hand got stuck too! It looked like a “bubblegum monster” had taken over her fingers.
The Transformation
“Help, Grandma! The bread has captured me!” Daisy giggled, waving her “monster hands” in the air. Grandma tossed another handful of flour, and suddenly, the magic happened. The dough became smooth and soft, just like the belly of a chubby kitten.
Daisy shaped a little ball, then a long snake, and finally a slightly crooked heart. They tucked the trays into the oven and waited. And then, the smell… oh, the smell! It started slowly—a scent of yeast and warmth—and then it grew into a golden perfume that wrapped itself around the entire house like a warm hug.
A Taste of Magic
When the bread finally came out, Daisy took a bite of a warm slice with butter melting over the top. She closed her eyes. It tasted like magic. She realized that the best things in life take a little while to get ready, and they usually make a big mess along the way, but they are worth every single second.
